Charcuterie Boards and Party Platters
Charcuterie boards have gained popularity over the past decade or so, mainly due to the rise of social media and food influencers posting their creative pieces online.
But charcuterie boards and aesthetic food platters have been around forever, with their origins dating back to 15th century France!
Clearly, the art of creating these decorative boards and enjoying them with others has been a standard in society for quite some time now.
These delicious platters – usually consisting of an assortment of meats, cheeses, fruits, and nuts – are perfect for parties, work events, holiday gatherings, or even in the comfort of your own home with a glass of wine and a movie.
Whether you’re just looking to feed yourself or want to impress your friends and colleagues, party platters are an easy, clean, and delicious way to serve lots of food to lots of people in a truly beautiful way.
Need some inspiration for your next charcuterie board? We’ve got a LOT of platter ideas to help you create the perfect board that is sure to impress your friends, family, or coworkers at your next gathering.
Here are 10 of my favorites:
1. Holiday Grazing Board
This charcuterie board is a great option to make this holiday season! Colorful and delicious, you can decorate this platter with ornaments, sprigs of balsam, or mint leaves to give it some extra pizazz. I especially love adding dark chocolate to offset the cheeses and sweet fruits.
2. Fruit + Cheese Platter
Save this one for the summertime when it’s hot, and you need to cool off from a long day of swimming or tanning. But let’s be honest; fruit is good year-round, so you can really make this whenever! Strawberries, pineapple, dates, and grapes paired with multiple kinds of cheeses make this charcuterie extra yummy.
3. Party Platter
Another great option for your next get-together is this party platter! Complete with fruits and cheeses but with an added flair of avocados, hummus dip, crackers, and some veggies for dipping; this one is sure to leave all your guests feeling satiated.
4. Fruit Platter with Coconut Lime Dip
The fun part of this platter is the coconut lime dip! Made with Greek yogurt, coconut, honey, and lime juice, it has a citrusy flair that pairs well with the fruit that adorns the board. It’s a cleaner version of your typical supermarket fruit dip but just as yummy (maybe more so 😉).
5. Clean Eating Fruit & Cheese Platter
The homemade dark chocolate pecan butter included in this platter for dipping is one of my favorites. It’s absolutely delicious! Plus, pecans are a rich source of several important B-complex vitamins, & minerals like potassium, calcium, zinc, selenium, & iron.
6. Lemon Herb Mediterranean Chicken Platter
Here’s some tender grilled chicken paired with a Mediterranean salad chock full of yummy vegetables, all mixed with scrumptious lemon zest marinades. Avocado, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, olives, basil, parsley, and garlic adorn this platter, creating a delicate and beautiful feast for you and your loved ones!
7. Seasonal Party Tray
This is another great platter that can be arranged with a fun holiday flair, great for use in the upcoming weeks as you gather with friends and family. I particularly enjoy the fresh-caught salmon, artichokes, kumquats, and pomegranate seeds, as they add a colorful and fresh touch to this clean-eating charcuterie board.
8. Picnic Platter
A common theme of these boards is obviously the fruit and cheese, but what makes each board unique are the extras you add! In this one, I’ve added summer sausage, raw onions, nectarines, capers, cabbage, and dill.
9. Vegetable Platter
While fruits and nuts are usually staples on a charcuterie board, there’s nothing stopping you from having a veggie-centric platter! Vegetables are essential for a well-rounded diet. If you need more tips for getting your family to eat more, check this post out.
10. Heirloom Tray
This tray’s main focus is the heirloom tomatoes, which can come in a variety of colors and shapes! Some are more bulbous, while others are lumpy, and they can be green, yellow, purple, red, or multicolored. Plus, they provide lots of nutrients like potassium, niacin, and vitamin B6.
Whether you’ve been influenced by the foodies on social media or you’ve enjoyed a particularly yummy charcuterie board recently, there’s no denying the popularity these snack platters have inspired.
I enjoy them not only for their delicious and various options but for the creativity they can bring out in us. Crafting the boards with your own unique flavors and flair is half of the fun – sharing them with loved ones is the rest.
Let me know if you plan to make a charcuterie or party platter this holiday season. Can’t wait to see how they turn out!
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